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2h ago

Penny Shortage Pushes Cash Rounding as Banks Ration Coins and Retailers Urge Federal Rule

Retailers seek a national rounding law to reduce legal risk created by the abrupt end of penny production.

A sign in a Kwik Trip store shows the store will no longer be using pennies to give change, on Oct. 23, 2025, in Yorkville, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
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A sign in a Kwik Trip store shows the store will no longer be using pennies to give change, on Oct. 23, 2025, in Yorkville, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A sign in a Kwik Trip store shows the store will no longer be using pennies to give change, on Oct. 23, 2025, in Yorkville, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Overview

  • McDonald’s confirmed some locations are rounding cash change to the nearest five cents, with electronic payments unchanged.
  • Banks report they cannot order new pennies and are rationing supplies as some coin terminals restrict penny deposits and withdrawals.
  • Kwik Trip says rounding down on cash sales will cost roughly $3 million this year, and some stores are asking customers for exact change.
  • Industry groups including RILA, NRF and NACS are pressing Congress to pass the Common Cents Act to standardize rounding on final cash totals.
  • Pennies remain legal tender, but availability is declining after the Treasury halted production, which it projects will save about $56 million annually.